A tall, rugged-looking man stepped out into the small lobby to meet them. He smiled at Terry and held out his hand.
“Good to see you again. Dan’s in the studio working out the details with the technical assistant.”
Terry laughed. “Hugh, you and I both know she’s the best damn director in five states. Give her the title, for god’s sake.”
“I’ll think about it, just for you.” He winked. “She is a cute little thing, isn’t she?”
A cute little thing
.
Jack was trying desperately to think up a plausible excuse for leaving when Terry yanked on his jacket sleeve and pulled him forward.
“Hugh, this is a very good friend of mine, Jack Manning. He’s been working on my campaign. I brought him along because he’s got a good eye for what will grab the public.”
Hugh’s face sobered. “Not my business, Terry, but Dan—”
“Will be good with this. He and Jack work together on the campaign a lot.”
“Good, good. You know how Darcy can get sometimes, too.”
Oh shit, shit, shit, shit. I have to get out of here.
But Hugh had grabbed his hand and was pumping it. “Now that we’ve got that settled, it’s nice to meet you.” He slung a meaty arm across Jack’s shoulders. “Come on into the office. I’ll fix you up with a drink and then introduce you to our technical director.” He turned to Terry and winked again.
I absolutely have to get out of here.
But somehow between Terry and Hugh he was swept along. In another minute he had a squat crystal tumbler in his hand with some very pricey bourbon splashed over ice cubes. Then Terry was guiding him into the studio where Dan had his head together with…sure enough…Darcy O’Connor.
Today she wore purple jeans that clung to her figure like a soft leather glove. They were paired with a softer coloured T-shirt that lovingly caressed her breasts just the way Jack wanted to. She had on those insane boots again and her hair was sticking up in artful spikes all over her head.
Artful? Why did he suddenly think they were artful?
That was bad enough. But Terry walked right up to her, pulled her into his arms and kissed her with frightening thoroughness. Jack couldn’t tell if Darcy was giving in or just frozen in shock. When Terry finally lifted his head he looked over at Jack.
“Come on over and say hey to Darcy. I’ve got her in my sights and I’m working to break down her resistance. Maybe you can give me a hand.”
Jack just stared at Darcy, who stared back at him. Finally he found his voice.
“Miss O’Connor and I have met.” The words sounded strangled even to him.
Darcy wet her lips with her tongue, a little gesture that made Jack’s cock swell and harden.
“Hello, Jack.”
“Hi, Darcy.”
Dan walked over just then, holding some sheets of paper. “Hey, Jack, good to see you. Terry, we need to go over this one more time while Darcy finishes the setup.”
He tugged Terry away, walking him to a corner, and Jack was left staring at Darcy.
She stared back.
He started towards her, his feet feeling leaden, but she turned away and walked in the direction of one of the cameras.
Sitting through the taping was a form of extreme torture. Darcy definitely knew what she was doing. Everything was smooth as glass. Except for the fact that Terry flirted with her shamelessly and even tried to coax another kiss from her. And every time he walked over to where Jack was standing to get his feedback he always had a comment to make about ‘that sweet little thing’.
Bile rose in Jack’s throat and he wished he could just vaporise. Disappear. If Terry succeeded in getting past Darcy’s defences and she went out with him he might have to kill his old friend.
Finally, when he couldn’t stand it any longer, when everyone was busy getting ready for one last take, he slipped into the shadows and out of the door. He’d call Terry and make it right later. Tomorrow. Next week. When he’d got his own feelings for Darcy under control. If that ever happened.
At home he stripped off his suit and changed into jeans and a polo shirt, then tried to bury himself in paperwork, but he couldn’t seem to concentrate. He kept seeing Darcy’s luscious naked body everywhere, catching her scent even though it had been nearly a week since she’d been there. Finally, at six o’clock, he shut down his computer, fed Mr Big and drove to Eli’s. He didn’t want to be by himself, couldn’t stand his own company. He couldn’t just barge in at Mike and Carly’s and, anyway, he’d have to listen to more shit from Mike. Eli’s seemed the logical place. Where it all began.
It was Friday and it was happy hour so the place was jammed, but Jack managed to find an empty stool at one end of the bar.
“Beer,” he mouthed at Eli when the man managed to slide a glance his way. He accepted the frosted bottle gratefully and drank a third of it without stopping. Great. Maybe he could get drunk again and make a bigger fool out of himself.
Without thinking about it he let his eyes stray over the crowd, wondering if Darcy was here. If he’d spot her. If she’d stopped coming here so she could avoid him. By the time he was halfway through his second beer he was into a full pity party. And he had no one to blame except himself. So what if Darcy didn’t look like the other women he went out with. Apparently they didn’t do it for him and she did, so that was something to think about.
He swallowed more beer.
She was smart and funny and he hadn’t even given her a chance.
Of course, she hadn’t given him one, either. But what if that was just a defence mechanism, the way his was?
He thought again about Terry putting the moves on her and wanted to find his friend and wring his neck.
Man, you are one fucked up idiot. Go find Darcy instead and tell her how you feel. See if there’s really something there.
He was considering a third beer when something touched his arm and he looked down to see a small but familiar hand resting on it. His heart rate picked up and his dick sent him a message. Soft lips barely touched his ear as Darcy said, “It’s very noisy in here. Can we go someplace else?”
* * * *
Darcy had been so glad when the video shoot was finally over she’d wanted to cry with relief. She was tired of avoiding Terry Milburn’s wandering hands and seductive smiles. And wasn’t it just a shock to see Jack walk into the studio. Of all the things to happen then.
She’d worked so hard to get him out of her system, all week. Tricia’s words kept running through her brain along with a little voice that repeated ‘
Call him, call him, call him’.
The minute she’d placed the final product in the campaign manager’s hands she’d told Hugh she was leaving and hadn’t waited to listen to his objections. Home first for a shower and change of clothes. From the back of her closet she’d dragged out a sundress the colour of her eyes and a pair of sandals. Then, digging deep for every bit of courage she could find, she had driven to Jack’s house.
She could have called, but he might have blown her off. It would have been harder for him to say no in person. But Jack hadn’t been there, only Mr Big sitting in the window and staring out at her.
Panic had sliced through her as she’d tried to figure out where he might have gone. When he’d be home. She really only had one more place to try. If that didn’t pan out she hadn’t been sure what she’d do. Camp out on his doorstep?
But the minute she’d entered the place she’d spotted him at the end of the bar. Then she’d had to push her way through the tightly-packed bodies to get to him. And ask him to go somewhere with her so they could talk. She’d taken another deep breath and put her hand on his arm to get his attention. When he’d turned his head to look at her and she’d seen the heat in his eyes, she’d begun to relax. Just a little bit.
* * * *
Jack grabbed her hand and dragged her through the crowd, elbowing people out of the way and ignoring their irritation with him. When they finally made it to the car park he couldn’t do anything for a long moment except stare at her. Drink her in. Then, before she could change her mind and run away, he cupped her face and kissed her, sweeping his tongue inside that welcoming cavern. Darcy wound her arms beneath his and went up on tiptoe. She melted against him, her soft breasts pushing against his hard chest, the mound of her cunt kissing his cock. He slid his hands up and down her spine, her flesh warm beneath his touch.
He didn’t think he ever wanted to stop kissing her. He tasted her everywhere, licking, his tongue sliding. One hand slid around to cup her breasts. It was only when he heard the honking of a horn that he lifted his head and realised they were still in Eli’s car park.
His eyes locked with hers and they burst out laughing.
“We seem to be making a habit of this,” she giggled.
“I can think of a more private place to take this.” He studied her face. “That is, if you want to.”
“I do,” she whispered.
“We can come back for your car later.”
“Eli’s going to start charging us.”
“Let him. It will be worth it.”
He hustled her into the SUV then ran around to the driver’s side as she buckled herself in. He was sure he broke every speed limit on the drive to his house, before pulling into the driveway and racing into the house with her. As soon as the door was closed he pushed her against the wall and took her mouth again, their tongues tangling as they drew from each other.
“A dress,” he murmured, his lips still pressed to hers. “You look fantastic in a dress. Very edible.”
Dress? She was wearing a dress?
She felt so good beneath his hands, warm and soft and nicely rounded for such a small body. He wanted to touch her everywhere at once. Dragging his mouth from hers he moved it along her shoulder and the line of her collarbone. Paused to suck gently at the hollow of her throat where her pulse was hammering. The dress was cut low enough that the upper swell of her wonderful breasts was exposed and he took full advantage. He licked the dips and curves like a starving man with his first meal in days.
He scored her skin with his teeth then lapped at the places where he left his mark. Then back to her mouth, seeking her tongue. He caressed up and down her spine with one hand while the other clenched around fistfuls of material.
Darcy’s own hands were busy everywhere—in his hair, down his back, tugging his shirt from his pants.
“Shirt. Off,” she said against his mouth and they broke enough for him to yank the shirt off and toss it over his shoulder.
He found the thong she was wearing and the wet heat of her pussy where he sank his fingers inside her, excited by the fact she was so wet and ready for him. He pulled her thong down and she stepped out of it, even as her fingers were busy with the button and zip on his pants. When she closed her hand around his shaft fire raced through his veins. Oh hell, he needed to be inside her right now. This instant. His need for her hadn’t lost any of its urgency. She made him so hot and crazy with need it turned him into a wild man.
But as he pushed his slacks and boxers down, ready to pull one of her legs around his waist to open her for him, sanity returned.
Bathroom.
Condom.
He lifted her and carried her into the bathroom with him, bunched her skirt up around her waist and sat her down on the vanity counter. God, she smelt so good. Jasmine and rain and fresh, clean air. He pressed his face to her neck for a long moment and inhaled deeply. Then, fumbling in the drawer with one hand, he found a foil packet, ripped it open with his teeth and sheathed himself. Spreading her legs to open her for him, he placed the head of his dick at the opening of her pussy, took a deep breath and drove into her waiting heat.
He closed his eyes, savouring the feel of her around him.
Home!
That was all he could think of.
He slid his hand between their bodies, finding her clit and stroking it, rubbing, rubbing. Feeling the tremors in her pussy increase in intensity. Hammering into her as his climax built and built and built.
“Now, Darcy,” he growled.
“Yes. Yes, yes, yes.”
It was the ride of his life, a clenching and spasming that tugged at every part of his body, singed every nerve, stole his breath and sent him to a level of pleasure he hadn’t thought possible. She gripped his shoulders, holding on tightly as the orgasm grabbed them both, shaking them, almost frightening in its intensity. Jack dropped his head to Darcy’s shoulder, dragging air into his lungs while his heart thundered against his ribs. At last he slid from her body, got rid of the condom and lifted her in his arms.
He was still shaking, still dying of hunger for her but he had to get things straight with her first. Make sure she understood he’d come to his senses and for him she was…everything. But it wasn’t possible in the current situation.
Finding some measure of control, he lifted her from the vanity and grabbed her hand, dragging her into the bedroom and setting her in the open doorway.
“I have to get you away from a bed,” he said, his voice ragged.
“What?” She blinked at him, dazed.
“Outside.” He sucked in air. “Talk.”